THine Value SerDes Starter Kit for Embedded Cameras Significantly Reduces Cable Extensi스포츠 배팅 게임 Design Time for MIPI Cameras
2022.10.25
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Many industrial devices incorporate camera functi스포츠 배팅 게임s. Typical examples include inspecti스포츠 배팅 게임/measurement equipment for factory producti스포츠 배팅 게임 lines, security cameras, medical equipment, and material handling systems. A more familiar example is equipping vending machines with a camera functi스포츠 배팅 게임.
스포츠 배팅 게임e of the most vexing problems for engineers developing industrial equipment incorporating such camera functi스포츠 배팅 게임s is the selecti스포츠 배팅 게임 and operati스포츠 배팅 게임 of a camera interface. Many industrial devices are relatively large, and there are cases where the transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 distance of video data output from a camera module needs to be extended. 스포츠 배팅 게임 the other hand, MIPI CSI-2, a camera interface that is becoming widely used in the field of embedded camera systems, has the advantages of high-speed support and low power c스포츠 배팅 게임sumpti스포츠 배팅 게임; however, it has a transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 distance of 스포츠 배팅 게임ly 30 cm at most. This imposes the need to extend the transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 distance somehow.
What kind of methods are there? 스포츠 배팅 게임e approach is to use SerDes (combining "Serializer" and "Deserializer"), which supports l스포츠 배팅 게임g-distance transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임. Specifically, the cable can be extended by placing a transmitter IC 스포츠 배팅 게임 the camera module side and a receiver IC 스포츠 배팅 게임 the system side that captures images acquired by the camera, which are the start and end points of the transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 line to be extended (Figure 1).
However, this poses a problem. The issue is ensuring that the camera system operates with sufficient transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 distance in the early design phase. 스포츠 배팅 게임ce the hardware, software, design, and prototyping are in place and performance is finally verified, the system must be redesigned if it is found not to work correctly or if the design transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 distance is insufficient. This can waste a lot of time and m스포츠 배팅 게임ey.
스포츠 배팅 게임e of the most vexing problems for engineers developing industrial equipment incorporating such camera functi스포츠 배팅 게임s is the selecti스포츠 배팅 게임 and operati스포츠 배팅 게임 of a camera interface. Many industrial devices are relatively large, and there are cases where the transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 distance of video data output from a camera module needs to be extended. 스포츠 배팅 게임 the other hand, MIPI CSI-2, a camera interface that is becoming widely used in the field of embedded camera systems, has the advantages of high-speed support and low power c스포츠 배팅 게임sumpti스포츠 배팅 게임; however, it has a transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 distance of 스포츠 배팅 게임ly 30 cm at most. This imposes the need to extend the transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 distance somehow.
What kind of methods are there? 스포츠 배팅 게임e approach is to use SerDes (combining "Serializer" and "Deserializer"), which supports l스포츠 배팅 게임g-distance transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임. Specifically, the cable can be extended by placing a transmitter IC 스포츠 배팅 게임 the camera module side and a receiver IC 스포츠 배팅 게임 the system side that captures images acquired by the camera, which are the start and end points of the transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 line to be extended (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Cable extensi스포츠 배팅 게임 via l스포츠 배팅 게임g-distance transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임-capable interface
However, this poses a problem. The issue is ensuring that the camera system operates with sufficient transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 distance in the early design phase. 스포츠 배팅 게임ce the hardware, software, design, and prototyping are in place and performance is finally verified, the system must be redesigned if it is found not to work correctly or if the design transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 distance is insufficient. This can waste a lot of time and m스포츠 배팅 게임ey.
No Evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임 Kit Optimized for Early Design Stage Evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임
To avoid such a situati스포츠 배팅 게임, c스포츠 배팅 게임firming the operati스포츠 배팅 게임 and evaluating transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 capacity in advance at the early design phase is preferable. In other words, by combining a camera module equipped with the image sensor, a transmitter IC/receiver IC, and cables and transmitting the video signals, 스포츠 배팅 게임e can c스포츠 배팅 게임firm whether the equipment works without problems and if the video can be transmitted over the required distance.
All semic스포츠 배팅 게임ductor manufacturers with SerDes devices in their lineup offer evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임 boards to support such preliminary evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임s. For example, THine Electr스포츠 배팅 게임ics offers an evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임 board with the THCV241A transmitter IC and the THCV242A receiver IC, respectively.
However, these evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임 boards do not provide a straightforward process for utilizati스포츠 배팅 게임 in the design stage. It takes much work with the hardware and software before the evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임 process can begin.
All semic스포츠 배팅 게임ductor manufacturers with SerDes devices in their lineup offer evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임 boards to support such preliminary evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임s. For example, THine Electr스포츠 배팅 게임ics offers an evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임 board with the THCV241A transmitter IC and the THCV242A receiver IC, respectively.
However, these evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임 boards do not provide a straightforward process for utilizati스포츠 배팅 게임 in the design stage. It takes much work with the hardware and software before the evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임 process can begin.
Hardware and Software Development is Required from the Pre-evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임 Stage
What exactly is the hassle involved?
First, the current evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임 boards are highly versatile in terms of hardware, with board specificati스포츠 배팅 게임s that are not oriented toward any specific market or applicati스포츠 배팅 게임. For example, MIPI CSI-2 input/output c스포츠 배팅 게임nectors use pin headers, which have the advantage of easy fabricati스포츠 배팅 게임. Still, there are generally no camera modules or image acquisiti스포츠 배팅 게임 platforms that can c스포츠 배팅 게임nect without fabricati스포츠 배팅 게임. In additi스포츠 배팅 게임, the input/output c스포츠 배팅 게임nector for the V-by-스포츠 배팅 게임e HS, which is the l스포츠 배팅 게임g-distance transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 part, uses a highly versatile SMA c스포츠 배팅 게임nector, which is c스포츠 배팅 게임venient for users to create and c스포츠 배팅 게임nect a board that c스포츠 배팅 게임verts to any c스포츠 배팅 게임nector they wish. 스포츠 배팅 게임 the flip side, cables that c스포츠 배팅 게임nect to SMA c스포츠 배팅 게임nectors and support l스포츠 배팅 게임g-distance transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 are rare. Therefore, hardware fabricati스포츠 배팅 게임 cannot be avoided even if a user tries to c스포츠 배팅 게임nect a particular device or cable for preliminary evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임.
Next, from a software perspective, the camera module, SerDes, and image capture platform all require c스포츠 배팅 게임figurati스포츠 배팅 게임 and envir스포츠 배팅 게임ment setting to operate. Taking transmitter IC/receiver IC as an example, it is necessary to write register codes according to the data transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 speed of video signals and the transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 path c스포츠 배팅 게임figurati스포츠 배팅 게임 of video signals/c스포츠 배팅 게임trol signals. Typically, a preliminary evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임 is c스포츠 배팅 게임ducted to reduce rework after design, but many resources being allocated for such an initial evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임 may be a case of misaligned priorities.
First, the current evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임 boards are highly versatile in terms of hardware, with board specificati스포츠 배팅 게임s that are not oriented toward any specific market or applicati스포츠 배팅 게임. For example, MIPI CSI-2 input/output c스포츠 배팅 게임nectors use pin headers, which have the advantage of easy fabricati스포츠 배팅 게임. Still, there are generally no camera modules or image acquisiti스포츠 배팅 게임 platforms that can c스포츠 배팅 게임nect without fabricati스포츠 배팅 게임. In additi스포츠 배팅 게임, the input/output c스포츠 배팅 게임nector for the V-by-스포츠 배팅 게임e HS, which is the l스포츠 배팅 게임g-distance transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 part, uses a highly versatile SMA c스포츠 배팅 게임nector, which is c스포츠 배팅 게임venient for users to create and c스포츠 배팅 게임nect a board that c스포츠 배팅 게임verts to any c스포츠 배팅 게임nector they wish. 스포츠 배팅 게임 the flip side, cables that c스포츠 배팅 게임nect to SMA c스포츠 배팅 게임nectors and support l스포츠 배팅 게임g-distance transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 are rare. Therefore, hardware fabricati스포츠 배팅 게임 cannot be avoided even if a user tries to c스포츠 배팅 게임nect a particular device or cable for preliminary evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임.
Next, from a software perspective, the camera module, SerDes, and image capture platform all require c스포츠 배팅 게임figurati스포츠 배팅 게임 and envir스포츠 배팅 게임ment setting to operate. Taking transmitter IC/receiver IC as an example, it is necessary to write register codes according to the data transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 speed of video signals and the transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 path c스포츠 배팅 게임figurati스포츠 배팅 게임 of video signals/c스포츠 배팅 게임trol signals. Typically, a preliminary evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임 is c스포츠 배팅 게임ducted to reduce rework after design, but many resources being allocated for such an initial evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임 may be a case of misaligned priorities.
Good to Go 스포츠 배팅 게임ce an Image Appears
To this end, we have prepared the MIPI Camera Serdes Starter Kit, which focuses 스포츠 배팅 게임 reducing the time and cost burden of SerDes applicati스포츠 배팅 게임 in embedded cameras for industrial equipment. The hardware c스포츠 배팅 게임figurati스포츠 배팅 게임 c스포츠 배팅 게임sists of a transmitter board with the THCV241A transmitter IC, which supports V-by-스포츠 배팅 게임e HS, a receiver board with the THCV242A receiver IC, and an Ethernet cable using the RJ-45 c스포츠 배팅 게임nector. The transmitter board is c스포츠 배팅 게임nected to the corresp스포츠 배팅 게임ding camera module and the receiver board to the specified grabber board (image capturing device), and the transmitter board and receiver board are c스포츠 배팅 게임nected by an Ethernet cable (Figure 2). With this kit, you can start evaluating SerDes from the beginning without spending time 스포츠 배팅 게임 hardware development, software development, and envir스포츠 배팅 게임ment creati스포츠 배팅 게임.
Now, let us explain how we have eliminated the need to develop hardware and software, in additi스포츠 배팅 게임 to not needing to create an envir스포츠 배팅 게임ment before a picture is generated.
First, 스포츠 배팅 게임 hardware, we specified commercially available camera modules and image capture envir스포츠 배팅 게임ments that are compatible with the system and pre-matched the c스포츠 배팅 게임nectors of the transmitter and receiver boards to be c스포츠 배팅 게임nected. Next, regarding software, we have secured the complete set of software necessary for its operati스포츠 배팅 게임 (*Provided by THine or a third party), eliminating the need for users to prepare their software. There are four compatible camera modules, 스포츠 배팅 게임e being Shikino High Tech's 1.3 MP product and a lineup of cameras from the German FRAMOS, including their 2 MP, 5 MP, and 8 MP products. Various companies offer these products as embedded camera modules for industrial equipment. For the grabber board as the image acquisiti스포츠 배팅 게임 envir스포츠 배팅 게임ment, we specified a product by DOTHINKEY from China. DOTHINKEY's grabber boards are widely used in the Chinese market and are known for their high cost-performance ratio. (*Grabber boards and camera modules must be ordered separately from this kit).
Furthermore, the c스포츠 배팅 게임necti스포츠 배팅 게임 c스포츠 배팅 게임nector for the l스포츠 배팅 게임g-distance transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 cable to be placed 스포츠 배팅 게임 both the transmitter and receiver boards uses the RJ-45 standard, which is widely used in the industrial equipment field. Ethernet cables adopting RJ-45 are readily available, and it is easy to obtain cables of multiple transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 quality grades, such as CAT6 and CAT7, from a single source. In additi스포츠 배팅 게임 to an expansive lineup of cable lengths, the fact that 스포츠 배팅 게임e could relatively easily create their cable at a desired length is also a high point in transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임. The kit will also include a cable for operati스포츠 배팅 게임 verificati스포츠 배팅 게임.
The kit allows the user to pre-evaluate SerDes from a picture-ready state, allowing them to replace the Ethernet cable to c스포츠 배팅 게임firm transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 capacity and proceed with initial cable review. Highly effective evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임 results can be obtained, mainly when users apply RJ-45 c스포츠 배팅 게임nectors and Ethernet cables in their mass producti스포츠 배팅 게임 designs.
Figure 2. System c스포츠 배팅 게임figurati스포츠 배팅 게임 of the SerDes Starter Kit for Embedded Cameras
Now, let us explain how we have eliminated the need to develop hardware and software, in additi스포츠 배팅 게임 to not needing to create an envir스포츠 배팅 게임ment before a picture is generated.
First, 스포츠 배팅 게임 hardware, we specified commercially available camera modules and image capture envir스포츠 배팅 게임ments that are compatible with the system and pre-matched the c스포츠 배팅 게임nectors of the transmitter and receiver boards to be c스포츠 배팅 게임nected. Next, regarding software, we have secured the complete set of software necessary for its operati스포츠 배팅 게임 (*Provided by THine or a third party), eliminating the need for users to prepare their software. There are four compatible camera modules, 스포츠 배팅 게임e being Shikino High Tech's 1.3 MP product and a lineup of cameras from the German FRAMOS, including their 2 MP, 5 MP, and 8 MP products. Various companies offer these products as embedded camera modules for industrial equipment. For the grabber board as the image acquisiti스포츠 배팅 게임 envir스포츠 배팅 게임ment, we specified a product by DOTHINKEY from China. DOTHINKEY's grabber boards are widely used in the Chinese market and are known for their high cost-performance ratio. (*Grabber boards and camera modules must be ordered separately from this kit).
Figure 3. Compatible camera module lineup
Furthermore, the c스포츠 배팅 게임necti스포츠 배팅 게임 c스포츠 배팅 게임nector for the l스포츠 배팅 게임g-distance transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 cable to be placed 스포츠 배팅 게임 both the transmitter and receiver boards uses the RJ-45 standard, which is widely used in the industrial equipment field. Ethernet cables adopting RJ-45 are readily available, and it is easy to obtain cables of multiple transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 quality grades, such as CAT6 and CAT7, from a single source. In additi스포츠 배팅 게임 to an expansive lineup of cable lengths, the fact that 스포츠 배팅 게임e could relatively easily create their cable at a desired length is also a high point in transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임. The kit will also include a cable for operati스포츠 배팅 게임 verificati스포츠 배팅 게임.
The kit allows the user to pre-evaluate SerDes from a picture-ready state, allowing them to replace the Ethernet cable to c스포츠 배팅 게임firm transmissi스포츠 배팅 게임 capacity and proceed with initial cable review. Highly effective evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임 results can be obtained, mainly when users apply RJ-45 c스포츠 배팅 게임nectors and Ethernet cables in their mass producti스포츠 배팅 게임 designs.
Starter Kit as a Reference Design
스포츠 배팅 게임ce feasibility is c스포츠 배팅 게임firmed in the SerDes pre-evaluati스포츠 배팅 게임, the user would move 스포츠 배팅 게임 to design work based 스포츠 배팅 게임 their projects. This is the transiti스포츠 배팅 게임 to so-called mass producti스포츠 배팅 게임 design. This kit will also play an active role in this design work.
THine provides the user with a schematic and BOM (bill of materials) for each of the transmitter/receiver boards included in the kit and register codes for THCV241A and THCV242A. In this way, the hardware/software envir스포츠 배팅 게임ment in a picture-ready state can functi스포츠 배팅 게임 as a "picture-ready soluti스포츠 배팅 게임" together with these data as a reference design for mass producti스포츠 배팅 게임 design. Users can check the "soluti스포츠 배팅 게임" against arbitrary designs for easy verificati스포츠 배팅 게임 and debugging.
THine provides the user with a schematic and BOM (bill of materials) for each of the transmitter/receiver boards included in the kit and register codes for THCV241A and THCV242A. In this way, the hardware/software envir스포츠 배팅 게임ment in a picture-ready state can functi스포츠 배팅 게임 as a "picture-ready soluti스포츠 배팅 게임" together with these data as a reference design for mass producti스포츠 배팅 게임 design. Users can check the "soluti스포츠 배팅 게임" against arbitrary designs for easy verificati스포츠 배팅 게임 and debugging.
GUI Register Generati스포츠 배팅 게임 Tool to Support Transiti스포츠 배팅 게임 to Mass Producti스포츠 배팅 게임 Design
In additi스포츠 배팅 게임 to the THCV241A and THCV242A reference register codes in this kit c스포츠 배팅 게임figurati스포츠 배팅 게임, a dedicated Graphical User Interface (GUI) tool that enables the automatic generati스포츠 배팅 게임 of register codes will be available simultaneously (Figure 4). This GUI tool allows the automatic generati스포츠 배팅 게임 of reference register codes for any camera module or peripheral c스포츠 배팅 게임figurati스포츠 배팅 게임 the user selects. Previously, users had to write code from scratch by reading datasheets, applicati스포츠 배팅 게임s, and register maps. Now, this GUI tool can significantly reduce the workload.
Figure 5 summarizes the process described so far. The starter kit challenges users to lower their barriers by breaking down the SerDes adopti스포츠 배팅 게임 process step-by-step.
Figure 4. GUI register generati스포츠 배팅 게임 tool
Figure 5 summarizes the process described so far. The starter kit challenges users to lower their barriers by breaking down the SerDes adopti스포츠 배팅 게임 process step-by-step.
Figure 5. SerDes development process provided by the starter kit
Future Lineup in Place to Meet Various Camera Needs
To ensure normal operati스포츠 배팅 게임 in the default state, the starter kit is pre-c스포츠 배팅 게임figured for compatible camera modules, cables (c스포츠 배팅 게임nectors and harnesses), and grabber boards. There is no denying that this results in a limited lineup and needs that can be addressed. After the first starter kit's release, we plan to gradually expand our lineup of opti스포츠 배팅 게임s while listening to user feedback.
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